Last Modified: Monday, February 25, 2013 at 9:06 a.m.

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The Houma girl’s acting debut as Hushpuppy, the lead character in the independent film “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” landed her the Academy Award nomination.

But in Sunday’s ceremony in Los Angeles, Jennifer Lawrence was named best actress for her performance as a young widower in “Silver Linings Playbook.”

Wallis hit the red carpet in a navy Armani dress. She carried a small furry animal purse and stopped for interviews during the nationally televised lead-up to the show.

She told “Good Morning America’s” lifestyles anchor, Lara Spencer, that she felt her chances to win were great, “but I’m not going to be selfish about it.”

Though Wallis didn’t take home an Oscar, her nomination and quick rise to celebrity has inspired many hometown residents.

“It is really nice to see a real movie star from Houma. Houma has been seen as a place where they wrestle alligators. Not this time,” said 40-year-old Houma native Brien Pledger. “I’m truly proud to have Q represent my hometown.”

Angelique Riggs, 21, of Thibodaux agreed.

“She is a precious young mind that is representing our culture very proudly,” she said.

Filmed in Terrebonne Parish in 2010 and released over the summer, “Beasts of the Southern Wild” received several Academy Award nominations including best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay. It took away none of the awards Sunday night.

With no former acting experience, Wallis made history based solely on her nomination as the youngest person in the category in the Academy Awards’ 85-year history. It was the first acting role for the then-6-year-old, who competed with thousands of elementary-school-age girls for the role of Hushpuppy, a child who struggles to come to grips with the impending loss of both her father and her coastal home.

Wallis was not immediately available for comment after Sunday night’s Hollywood awards show. In a Feb. 8 interview with The Courier, Wallis said she was eager to see what the show would be like but wasn’t too focused on winning.

“I guess,’ she said when asked if she thought she’d win best actress. “Whatever happens happens.”

And she’ll always have support from her family and friends, her cousin Melanie Wallis said.

Wallis is principal at Elysian Fields Middle School in Houma, where Quvenzhané is a fourth-grader.

“The students, the teachers and everyone have been supportive of her,” Melanie Wallis said. “Speaking as a member of the family, she knows we’re all behind her, and we’re so happy for her. And we would all still be proud either way.”

Melanie said Quvenzhané’s return to school will go as it normally does.

“When she comes back, she follows all the same procedures the other kids do,” she said. “She doesn’t have a different attitude. She’s not cocky. She fits right in with the other students as a normal fourth-grader, a normal child.”

The principal said the other students at Elysian Fields are supportive of their peer. On her last day at school before leaving for the Oscars, the teachers lined the students in the halls and everyone clapped for Quvenzhané as she passed by.

Mike Arceneaux of Montegut was the marine and special-equipment coordinator and local liaison for the movie. He said he witnessed Quvenzhane’s personality daily during filming and was astounded.

“She’s a natural. Like most kids, you’d think with her mom being there she be a bit distracted and attend more to her mom, but that wasn’t the case,” Arceneaux said. “On set, I saw her go from playful little girl and having fun or listening to the radio to a professional, focused actress in seconds.”

“Beasts” co-producer Matt Parker said “on set she was a joy.”

“She was just a little girl but a professional actress,” he said.

Parker and Arceneaux said it’s hard to believe how far the film has come from the long days of filming in the “take-no-prisoners” Louisiana swamp and weather.

“It’s an awesome experience. I’ve seen these actors and actresses and the rest of the cast as well as the crew develop from day one,” Arceneaux said. “It blows me away.”

Hours before Sunday’s ceremony, producers announced that Quvenzhané will play the lead role in a Hollywood remake of the hit movie “Annie.”

“With the recent Academy Award nomination and critical acclaim, Quvenzhané Wallis is a true star, and we believe her portrayal as Annie will make her a true worldwide star,” Hannah Minghella, president of production for Columbia Studios, said in a news release. “She is an extraordinary young talent with an amazing range, not only as an actress but as a singer and dancer, and we can’t wait for audiences to further discover her.”

The film, targeted for release during the 2014 holiday season, will be produced by famed actors Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, among others, and will be scored by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. The role was originally written for Will and Jada’s daughter Willow Smith, who has grown too old and turned it down.

It is set to be released in 2014.

To most entertainment buffs, “Annie” is best known as a 1982 film directed by Hollywood icon John Huston. It starred Aileen Quinn in the title role of young orphan Annie, Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan, who runs the orphanage, and Albert Finney as “Daddy” Warbucks, a tycoon who opens his home to Annie. “Annie” was a Tony Award-winning play that opened on Broadway in 1977. The play and the film are based on the classic newspaper comic strip “Little Orphan Annie.”

Quvenzhane’s next acting gig will be in Brad Pitt’s feature film adaptation of “12 Years a Slave.”

The movie, in which Pitt stars, is based on the memoir of Solomon Northup, a free man of color who was kidnapped and sold into slavery shortly before the Civil War. The production started in New Orleans at the end of June and filmed scenes at Magnolia Plantation in Schriever.

<p>She didn't take home a best-actress Oscar, but Hollywood hasn't seen the last of 9-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis.</p><p>The Houma girl's acting debut as Hushpuppy, the lead character in the independent film “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” landed her the Academy Award nomination.</p><p>But in Sunday's ceremony in Los Angeles, Jennifer Lawrence was named best actress for her performance as a young widower in “Silver Linings Playbook.”</p><p>Wallis hit the red carpet in a navy Armani dress. She carried a small furry animal purse and stopped for interviews during the nationally televised lead-up to the show.</p><p>She told “Good Morning America's” lifestyles anchor, Lara Spencer, that she felt her chances to win were great, “but I'm not going to be selfish about it.”</p><p>Though Wallis didn't take home an Oscar, her nomination and quick rise to celebrity has inspired many hometown residents.</p><p>“It is really nice to see a real movie star from Houma. Houma has been seen as a place where they wrestle alligators. Not this time,” said 40-year-old Houma native Brien Pledger. “I'm truly proud to have Q represent my hometown.” </p><p>Angelique Riggs, 21, of Thibodaux agreed.</p><p>“She is a precious young mind that is representing our culture very proudly,” she said. </p><p>Filmed in Terrebonne Parish in 2010 and released over the summer, “Beasts of the Southern Wild” received several Academy Award nominations including best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay. It took away none of the awards Sunday night.</p><p>With no former acting experience, Wallis made history based solely on her nomination as the youngest person in the category in the Academy Awards' 85-year history. It was the first acting role for the then-6-year-old, who competed with thousands of elementary-school-age girls for the role of Hushpuppy, a child who struggles to come to grips with the impending loss of both her father and her coastal home.</p><p>Wallis was not immediately available for comment after Sunday night's Hollywood awards show. In a Feb. 8 interview with The Courier, Wallis said she was eager to see what the show would be like but wasn't too focused on winning.</p><p>“I guess,' she said when asked if she thought she'd win best actress. “Whatever happens happens.”</p><p>And she'll always have support from her family and friends, her cousin Melanie Wallis said. </p><p>Wallis is principal at Elysian Fields Middle School in Houma, where Quvenzhané is a fourth-grader.</p><p>“The students, the teachers and everyone have been supportive of her,” Melanie Wallis said. “Speaking as a member of the family, she knows we're all behind her, and we're so happy for her. And we would all still be proud either way.” </p><p>Melanie said Quvenzhané's return to school will go as it normally does.</p><p>“When she comes back, she follows all the same procedures the other kids do,” she said. “She doesn't have a different attitude. She's not cocky. She fits right in with the other students as a normal fourth-grader, a normal child.” </p><p>The principal said the other students at Elysian Fields are supportive of their peer. On her last day at school before leaving for the Oscars, the teachers lined the students in the halls and everyone clapped for Quvenzhané as she passed by.</p><p>Mike Arceneaux of Montegut was the marine and special-equipment coordinator and local liaison for the movie. He said he witnessed Quvenzhane's personality daily during filming and was astounded.</p><p>“She's a natural. Like most kids, you'd think with her mom being there she be a bit distracted and attend more to her mom, but that wasn't the case,” Arceneaux said. “On set, I saw her go from playful little girl and having fun or listening to the radio to a professional, focused actress in seconds.”</p><p>“Beasts” co-producer Matt Parker said “on set she was a joy.”</p><p>“She was just a little girl but a professional actress,” he said.</p><p>Parker and Arceneaux said it's hard to believe how far the film has come from the long days of filming in the “take-no-prisoners” Louisiana swamp and weather. </p><p>“It's an awesome experience. I've seen these actors and actresses and the rest of the cast as well as the crew develop from day one,” Arceneaux said. “It blows me away.” </p><p>Hours before Sunday's ceremony, producers announced that Quvenzhané will play the lead role in a Hollywood remake of the hit movie “Annie.”</p><p>“With the recent Academy Award nomination and critical acclaim, Quvenzhané Wallis is a true star, and we believe her portrayal as Annie will make her a true worldwide star,” Hannah Minghella, president of production for Columbia Studios, said in a news release. “She is an extraordinary young talent with an amazing range, not only as an actress but as a singer and dancer, and we can't wait for audiences to further discover her.”</p><p>The film, targeted for release during the 2014 holiday season, will be produced by famed actors Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, among others, and will be scored by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. The role was originally written for Will and Jada's daughter Willow Smith, who has grown too old and turned it down.</p><p>It is set to be released in 2014.</p><p>To most entertainment buffs, “Annie” is best known as a 1982 film directed by Hollywood icon John Huston. It starred Aileen Quinn in the title role of young orphan Annie, Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan, who runs the orphanage, and Albert Finney as “Daddy” Warbucks, a tycoon who opens his home to Annie. “Annie” was a Tony Award-winning play that opened on Broadway in 1977. The play and the film are based on the classic newspaper comic strip “Little Orphan Annie.”</p><p>Quvenzhane's next acting gig will be in Brad Pitt's feature film adaptation of “12 Years a Slave.”</p><p>The movie, in which Pitt stars, is based on the memoir of Solomon Northup, a free man of color who was kidnapped and sold into slavery shortly before the Civil War. The production started in New Orleans at the end of June and filmed scenes at Magnolia Plantation in Schriever.</p>